Definition
Number of children born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome per 10,000 live births to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.Numerator
Number of children born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome among live births to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.Denominator
Count of all live births to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.Why Is This Important?
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), is a heart condition that is present at birth, and often is called a congenital heart defect. HLHS is a group of related heart defects that, together, mean that the left side of the heart is underdeveloped.
There is no known cause for HLHS. The problem develops before birth when there is not enough growth of the left side of the heart. White babies seem to have higher rates of HLHS than babies of other races or ethnicities. Maternal multivitamin use before and during pregnancy appears to decrease the risk of HLHS.